Member Benefits Archives - American College of Apothecaries

2025 COMPOUNDING TRAINING COURSES ARE OPEN FOR REGISTRATION!!

Taisha Cunningham2024-12-06T08:34:05-06:00December 6th, 2024|Categories: compounding, compounding training, Continuing Education, Member Benefits, networking, News Release, Pharmaceutical Training, Veterinary Compounding|Tags: fellows, members, news, pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician, student pharmacist|

Compounding is an essential part of pharmacy, helping create personalized medications for patients. Whether you’re an experienced pharmacist or a student looking to learn more, a compounding course can be a valuable step in your career.

These courses offer more than technical know-how—they help you improve patient care, grow professionally, and explore new opportunities in pharmacy. With the right training, you’ll gain the skills and confidence needed to succeed in pharmaceutical compounding.

Take the next step to enhance your expertise and positively impact patient care by enrolling in a compounding course today!

Apply the code 2025save70 to enjoy a $70 discount on any pharmaceutical compounding course. Remember—ACA and ACVP members save an additional $200 off non-member prices. Also, members sending 2 or more staff to the same class save even more!

Click below to view our pharmaceutical compounding training home page:

COMPOUNDING TRAINING COURSES

Want more flexibility and set you own study hours?

Our accredited and PTCB-recognized training programs offer top-quality instruction in pharmaceutical compounding. These programs help pharmacy professionals build practical skills, gain valuable knowledge, and earn trusted credentials to grow their careers and improve patient care.

Click below to view our Certificate & Home Study Programs:

Certificate & Home Study Programs

2024 COMPOUNDING TRAINING COURSES ARE OPEN FOR REGISTRATION!

Taisha Cunningham2024-06-19T07:57:04-05:00June 19th, 2024|Categories: compounding, compounding training, Continuing Education, Member Benefits, networking, News Release, Pharmaceutical Training, Veterinary Compounding|Tags: fellows, members, news, pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician, student pharmacist|

In the field of pharmacy, compounding plays a crucial role in providing personalized medications tailored to individual patient needs. Whether you’re a seasoned pharmacist or a pharmacy student eager to expand your skills, attending a compounding course can be very beneficial.

Investing in a compounding course is not just about acquiring technical skills—it’s about elevating the standard of care and advancing pharmacy practice. Whether you’re driven by a passion for patient-centered care, professional growth, or entrepreneurial opportunities, attending a compounding course equips you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to excel in the art and science of pharmaceutical compounding.

Take the initiative to expand your expertise and make a difference in patient health outcomes by enrolling in a compounding course today!

*Apply the code SPRING to enjoy a $70 discount on any pharmaceutical compounding course. Remember—ACA and ACVP members save an additional $200 off non-member prices. Also, members sending 2 or more staff to the same class save even more!

Click below to view ACA’s pharmaceutical compounding home page:

COMPOUNDING TRAINING COURSES

ACA Foundation Awards Pharmacists Mutual Scholarship to ACA Student Pharmacist Members

Taisha Cunningham2024-01-03T11:04:01-06:00January 3rd, 2024|Categories: Member Benefits, Members In The News, News Release, scholarship, Student Pharmacist|Tags: news, pharmacist, scholarships, student pharmacist|

Bartlett, TN., December 15, 2023: The American College of Apothecaries Research and Education Foundation announced that student pharmacists Camila Caban, Rachel Blanchard, Holly Seyler, and Alexandria Arnett have been awarded the Pharmacists Mutual | ACA Foundation Community Pharmacy Scholarship.

Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company (www.phmic.com) donated funds to the American College of Apothecaries Research and Education Foundation to create the Pharmacists Mutual | ACA Foundation Community Pharmacy Scholarship. These scholarships are awarded to student pharmacists who have demonstrated academic excellence and a commitment to advancing the future of community pharmacy in the United States.

The American College of Apothecaries is proud to recognize their Student Pharmacist members Holly Seyler, Alexandria Arnett & Camila Caban with the Pharmacists Mutual | ACA Foundation Community Pharmacy Scholarship 2023!

Pharmacists Mutual | ACA Foundation Community Pharmacy Scholarship Award Winners Holly Seyler, Alexandria Arnett & Camila Caban.

Holly Seyler (PharmD Candidate 2025) from the University of Washington, a student member of the American College of Apothecaries (ACA) and the National Community Pharmacist Association (NCPA), Holly focuses on the importance of political advocacy for patient choice and access. Holly willingly advocates for the compounding pharmacy profession and volunteered her time as a teaching assistant for the UW Pharmaceutics Compounding Lab Course in Seattle, WA. Her leadership and commitment have contributed positively to the future of compounding pharmacy.

Holly is currently a Pharmacist Intern at Clark’s Compounding Pharmacy in Bellevue, WA where she continues to distinguish herself as a leader in the pharmacy community and devotes her life to patient-centered healthcare.

Alexandria Arnett (PharmD Candidate 2025) from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, a student pharmacist member of the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists (ACVP) and the American College of Apothecaries (ACA), Alexandria focuses on advancing community pharmacy patient care, compounding specific practicing, veterinary care, and the laws and regulations surrounding each of these aspects. Alexandria would like to see a growth in specialized compounding practices like cancer, diabetes, or pediatric compounding to allow for an increase in awareness for a patient care aspect that exists but is not as focused on, which would allow a variety of community pharmacies to provide increased patient-focused care. She is also interested in encouraging pharmacists to open more specialty independent pharmacies so patients can have access to specific medical therapies anywhere, including the veterinary world. Alexandria would like to push for at least one veterinary course to be taught at each pharmacy school to allow growth in compounding, which can drive more focus and funding to the specialty.

Alexandria is currently a Student Board Member of the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists (ACVP), President of Kappa Psi, and President of NCPA. In these roles, she has been responsible for organizing events, managing budgets, and coordinating educational opportunities. Her strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to communicate effectively with others have made her a valuable member of these organizations.

Camila Hernandez Caban (PharmD Candidate 2025) from the University of Puerto Rico Medical Science Campus, a student member of the American College of Apothecaries (ACA), Academy of Student Pharmacist, and President of the American Pharmacist Association UPR Chapter, Camila’s goal is to introduce a psychosocial approach to community pharmacy. She collaborates with Professors in the Ethics and Culture course at the University of Puerto Rico where she impacts first and second-year students on public health and bioethical principles in providing quality care.

Camila is currently taking a pharmacogenomics elective and working on a business plan that uses this technology to optimize opioid therapy while incorporating harm-reduction strategies. She is involved in a research project on the physical stability of extemporaneous suspensions in the pediatric population of Puerto Rico, contributing to the literature on compounding and the applicability of U.S. quality standards.

THE WAYPOINT COMPANY PARTNERS WITH THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF APOTHECARIES

Linda Cathey2023-08-31T14:40:18-05:00August 30th, 2023|Categories: Member Benefits, News Release|

(Bartlett, Tennessee) – The American College of Apothecaries (ACA) was founded in 1940 in Richmond, Virginia to empower passionate pharmacy professionals to provide exceptional patient care in thriving community practices. ACA conducts educational programs, facilitates networking and mentoring, and promotes leadership that empowers pharmacy professionals to provide exceptional patient care.

The Waypoint Company (Waypoint) was formed in 2010 and serves over 800 pharmacy businesses in helping them create a plan to achieve their true purpose during and after their life in pharmacy. Their sole purpose is to protect and empower pharmacy owners because they believe successful, locally owned businesses bring greater vitality to the families and communities they serve.

Through this partnership, ACA and Waypoint look forward to serving independent pharmacy owners to find ways to generate revenue outside of the PBM model, and better serve their communities.

Matt Coakley, CEO of Waypoint, is excited to expand their services to ACA members. “We’re excited to continue to serve independent pharmacy owners and help them find ways to serve their communities and look beyond just filling prescriptions,” said Coakley.

For more information, please call 843-873-4420 or visit www.WaypointUS.com or www.ACAinfo.org.

All Waypoint solutions do not charge any upfront fees. They make money when you start benefiting from the Waypoint solutions. Call today!

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TAKE THE WAYPOINT SURVEY

One of the most overlooked lines on a pharmacy profit and loss statement are the employee benefits. This is why the Pharmacy401k team has decided to launch the first annual pharmacy employee benefits survey. This will allow other pharmacies to benchmark their benefits against pharmacies in their state, region and across the United States.

Independent Pharmacy Benefits Survey

Faculties: American College of Apothecaries

Taisha Cunningham2023-07-27T15:14:20-05:00July 19th, 2023|Categories: compounding, Member Benefits, networking, Nutrition|Tags: education, news, pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician, student pharmacist|

Overview:
One of the American College of Apothecaries’ strengths is the open sharing of ideas — which historically has been accomplished through in-person meetings. ACA is augmenting these meetings by establishing expert faculties that will assemble using digital technology — including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, email, and online forums. Participation in faculty meetings is intended to increase member engagement, thus facilitating peer-to-peer networking and relationship building.

Member in all classes:
Faculty participation is optional and offered to ACA members at all individual membership levels, which include our Fellows, pharmacists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy marketers, and affiliates. Faculties will thus seasoned pharmacy professionals to interact and share their expertise and experiences with others who have high interest levels and are in the process of establishing their expertise. Each faculty will elect a Chair and Chair-Elect who will serve for one-year terms.

Initially two faculties:
1. Compounding Faculty
2. Nutrition & Wellness Faculty

Meetings of faculty:
Meetings of faculty will focus on topics about which members are passionate — and could include but not limited to discussions of specific products, techniques and methods, concepts, issues, and opportunities. Because meetings will not involve the awarding of continuing education credit, the discussions will not be restricted by ACPE guidelines. Hence, speakers at meetings of faculty could include representatives or organizations that provide proprietary items to our members.

Founding faculty sponsors:
ACA is seeking financial support of organizations that are aligned with the expertise and interests of one or more of our faculties — and that desire to be designated “Founding Faculty Sponsor”.

Compounding Faculty Information

Nutrition & Wellness Faculty Information

*For additional information please contact:
Linda Cathey, Faculty Membership Coordinator — linda@acainfo.org

Special Benefit for New Members

Taisha Cunningham2024-05-14T07:56:18-05:00July 6th, 2023|Categories: Continuing Education, Fellows and Members, Member Benefits|Tags: education, news, pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician, student pharmacist|

*does not apply to Student Pharmacist Members

Apply for membership here

For new ACA members, the bundle is accessible at no additional cost through a special code provided in the welcome email upon joining.

Current members and non-members interested in this valuable educational offering can purchase the bundle through the provided link: https://www.lecturepanda.com/a/NewMember.

The ACA New Member Bundle presents an excellent opportunity for both new and seasoned pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to advance their professional skills and earn continuing education credits. Accredited for 3.0 contact hours (0.3 CEUs), the bundle includes three insightful modules, each providing 1 CE credit.

The first webinar, “Opportunities in Wellness: Integrating Advanced Point of Sale Functional Testing in Community Pharmacy,” led by Hillary Howell, PharmD, CCN, FACA, explores innovative approaches to health screening and wellness monitoring directly at the point of sale. This session is particularly beneficial for professionals looking to expand their services beyond traditional dispensary roles, thereby enhancing patient care and pharmacy practice.

Next, “Long Walk Out of the Woods: A Physician’s Story of Addiction, Depression, Hope, and Recovery” by Adam Hill, MD, offers a profound personal narrative that sheds light on the critical issues of mental health in the healthcare profession. This presentation not only provides key insights into overcoming personal struggles but also emphasizes the importance of support systems and resilience in professional life.

The third webinar, “Implementing Personalized Nutrition into Pharmacy Practice” by Lara Zakaria, PharmD, MS, CNS, CDN, IFMCP, delves into the integration of nutritional counseling and personalized diet plans in pharmacy settings. This course is designed to equip pharmacists with the necessary tools to offer tailored nutritional advice to their patients, thereby contributing to better health outcomes.

Our Speakers:

Dr. Hillary Howell, PharmD, FACA, CCN worked as a pharmacy technician until graduating high school in 1998. Her passion for medicine led her to enroll in the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Ferris State University and graduated in 2004. Shortly after graduating, she married her high school sweetheart and took a position as a retail staff pharmacist at a local pharmacy chain. This ultimately led to a manager position with the same company.

Hillary has two children, Hunter and Tanner, which she adores. 10 years into her position as a manager, her husband James was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer, leiomyosarcoma of the prostate. During his journey, the family decided to look into alternative treatments using both conventional and alternative therapies. Sadly, James’ journey ended 18 months later.

As a single mother, Hillary decided to take her career in a new direction. She opened Michigan’s first integrative cash based pharmacy, Apothecary & Co, in 2019, focusing on helping others to find their root cause instead of applying a “bandaid”. Apothecary & Co proudly specializes in compounding, point of care testing, and functional medicine consulting. Since opening in 2019, Hillary received her Certified Clinical Nutrition designation in 2021. She is currently pursuing a certification program through the Institute for Functional Medicine. Besides the love for functional medicine, her other passion is medicinal herbalism leading her to complete coursework through Rosemary Gladstar’s The Science of Art and Herbalism program.

Dr. Adam B. Hill, MD is a palliative care physician at Riley Hospital for Children. He is a proud Hoosier, a Butler Bulldog, and an IUSM graduate. He completed his pediatric residency training at St. Louis University, a fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at Duke University, and a palliative medicine fellowship at IUSM. His work in palliative care is focused on allowing patients to live the best quality of life possible in the midst of chronic, life-limiting, and/or life-threatening medical conditions.

In addition to palliative care, Dr. Hill is passionate about physician wellness/self-care, physician education, and international medical work. His international work has allowed him to work in Belize, Mexico, Kenya, Tanzania, and Australia over the past several years. In addition, as part of his work in palliative care, he serves as the medical director for a week-long summer camp for children affected by childhood cancer.

Dr. Lara Zakaria, PharmD, MS, CNS, CDN, IFMCP is a Pharmacist, Nutritionist, and adjunct professor specializing in Functional Medicine and Personalized nutrition. After spending 10 years in pharmacy community practice, she noticed that her patients were all getting worse, not better. She realized that the pharmaceutical-based guidelines she was trained in were intended only to manage chronic disease not prevent progression. That led her to FxMed and the power of nutrition. Dr. Zakaria is passionate about gut health and preventing and reversing metabolic, kidney, and autoimmune diseases. She splits her time between clinical practice, teaching, and mentorship in service of expanding awareness and access to FxMed and Personalized Nutrition.

TRHC Partners with American College of Apothecaries (ACA) to offer MedWise™ to Members

Dana2020-11-16T16:51:34-06:00November 16th, 2020|Categories: Member Benefits, News Release|

MOORESTOWN, N.J., November 16, 2020 — Tabula Rasa HealthCare (Nasdaq: TRHC), a healthcare technology company advancing the field of medication safety, announces today a strategic alliance with the American College of Apothecaries (ACA). ACA, a national pharmacy organization dedicated to the advancement of professional practice in independent community pharmacy through entrepreneurship, will provide its members the ability to license TRHC’s medication safety software, MedWise™ and the opportunity to become MedWise Certified Advisors™ through TRHC.

“Partnering with Tabula Rasa HealthCare provides our members with access to innovative technologies, like MedWise, that will help them improve medication safety in patients who have a high burden of disease and complex medication regimens.” said ACA Executive Vice President/CEO Susan Bartlemay, RPh, FACA, FAPhA. “Our collaboration with TRHC furthers ACA’s commitment to providing exemplary pharmacy resources to community pharmacists.”

TRHC’s MedWise software provides science-based, actionable clinical intelligence to pharmacists, including a patient’s MedWise Risk Score™ (MRS). The MRS calculation uses active medication ingredients of a patient’s complete medication list, including over-the-counter supplements to predict the risk of medication problems and adverse drug events (ADEs). A published study, involving nearly 2,000 patients, found that a lower MRS correlated with fewer adverse drug events, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and lower medical costs.

“As a former President of ACA, I understand how vital innovation and new technologies are in keeping community pharmacists at the top of their profession,” states TRHC Chairman and CEO Calvin H. Knowlton, PhD. “ Offering ACA members a way to identify high risk patients, and the opportunity to become certified MedWise Advisor™ is just the beginning of how our partnership will help improve medication safety in patients who are at risk for adverse drug events, due to their complex medication regimens.”

About Tabula Rasa HealthCare
Tabula Rasa HealthCare (TRHC) provides medication safety solutions empowering healthcare professionals to optimize medication regimens and reduce medication-related risk, specifically targeting adverse drug events. Utilizing its proprietary medication decision science technology, MedWise™, TRHC improves patient outcomes, reduces hospitalizations, and lowers healthcare costs. Additionally, TRHC offers an extensive clinical telepharmacy network across the U.S. Our suite of solutions are trusted by health plans and pharmacies nationwide to help drive value-based payment results. For more information, visit TRHC.com

About the American College of Apothecaries

For 80 years, the American College of Apothecaries (acainfo.org) has been dedicated to the advancement of professional practice in independent community pharmacy through education, entrepreneurship, and mentoring. The Fellows and members of ACA are committed to best practices in pharmacy and quality healthcare for their communities.

ACA offers a way for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, marketers, and students to connect with other pharmacy professionals to discuss areas of mutual interest and strengthen individual practice. This effort is supported through webinars, on-demand continuing education (CE), compounding classes, conferences and other events. ACA’s educational programming is available to all pharmacy professions, including non-members.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements that we believe to be reasonable as of today’s date, including statements regarding Medication Risk Mitigation technology. Such statements are identified by use of the words “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “should,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release. Actual results might differ materially from those explicit or implicit in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: the need to innovate and provide useful products and services; risks related to changing healthcare and other applicable regulations; increasing consolidation in the healthcare industry; managing our growth effectively; our ability to adequately protect our intellectual property; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in our filings with the SEC, including those factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 2, 2020, and in subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC, copies of which are available free of charge within the Investor Relations section of the TRHC website ir.trhc.com or upon request from our Investor Relations Department. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made. TRHC assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law, to reflect events or circumstances occurring after today’s date.

ACA Fellows and Members have exclusive access to a 20% discount to the MedWise™ Decision Support Program. Click below to take advantage of this opportunity, and to elevate your pharmacy workflow through one-of-a-kind, science-based decision support tools.

LEARN MORE

Want more information? Have Questions?

Join us at an exclusive live Product Theatre and discover how MedWise™ can help your pharmacy ensure medication safety, efficacy, and adherence. Click the links below to register now.

Wednesday, Nov 18th (12pm ET / 11am CT/ 10am MT / 9am PT))
https://cognify.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMtfuqtpzkvGtWKtQI7djjhB96POAY-X85X

Tuesday, Nov 24th (8pm ET / 7pm CT / 6pm MT / 5pm PT)
https://cognify.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEtcumprjguGNRpvznmgGCflvu3je7-T25o

Thursday, Dec 3rd (3pm ET / 2pm CT / 1pm MT / 12pm PT).
https://cognify.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwqfuqhqjMsGtHRj9KyQ3fM66WFH67HFWRm